Who else loves a birthday? Celebrations with loved ones, surprises, cake and for me, I ask the boss (that would be me) for the day off.
I love birthdays, mine, friends, loved ones, clients, yours and pretty much anyone else’s. It’s the day you came into the world, shone your bliss on those around you and started your journey through life. Think about it – it’s massive and a significant day.
Last weekend I celebrated another year young – I had a birthday and that special day turned into several days of fun. The celebrations culminated on Tuesday when a friend from out of town made a surprise visit and generously took my partner and me to lunch – more time off and more birthday indulgence.
Birthdays are also a time of reflection for me, being mindful and thinking about life’s big questions, a time for self-appraisal and visioning for the future.
Here’s some of the who, what and where that goes under the microscope
- Gratitude naturally takes centre stage and as my late father would say, “Any day above ground and vertical is a good day.” Enough said
- The people in my life get a good ponder; my much appreciated and loved partner, my inimitable and inspiring mother, friends who’ve stuck around for decades warts and all, new friends, clients and you – the countless individuals that make a difference in my life
- There is a retrospective on the previous year with what I have achieved, what I could have done better and how I could lift my game including noting any patterns that could do with an interrupt or change
- I ruminate over life’s lessons. Some I learned the hard way and some more blissfully. It is understood – learn from them, apply the take-outs and move on as lessons not learned generally raise their heads in another form later
- I look forward through time to where I want to be in 12 months and 24 months from now
Overall it’s kinda like a mini workshop and it’s often not without some tears (who doesn’t cry at least once on their birthday?) and lots of laughter too. I endeavour not to take myself too seriously, laughing at some of my idiosyncrasies – we have all got them.
Don’t take life too seriously, you won’t get out alive. – Elbert Hubbard
Birthdays are also a stark reminder of the idiom, “My how time flies.” When you are young tomorrow often seems all too far away while you count the sleeps to life’s memorable punctuation marks– your first day at school, Christmas Day, birthday, getting that puppy and your first date.
As we grow old, we have already experienced so many “first times” there are less of those special moments to gauge time. The older we get the days seem to pass by so quickly.
In an article – “Why Does Time Fly as We Get Older?” published by Scientific American, Neuroscientist and award-winning science writer, Jordan Gaines Lewis drills down further on this phenomenon including studies conducted by psychologists and other pundits from around the globe.
From the workshop – on the subject of time
- Time is an illusion and the notion and measurement of time are human constructs
- Time is a valuable resource – “Time spent can never be regained.” – unknown
- A reminder to be ever more mindful – the practice of mindfulness enriches each moment and enhances your life
- An evaluation: how I spend my time and how I could use it more resourcefully to be of more benefit to others
- “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” – Charlie Chaplin
- The reinforcement that “time” is a common issue for so many of my clients, loved ones and friends
- Contemplation on how we rationalize the importance of one activity over another be it personal, professional or survival itself
I may be getting older by numbers and as with each one of us; the barcode is fading through time. My rich, full and often-mischievous life is showing up with every well-earned grey hair, smile, and laughter and curiosity line yet at the same time, there is still a young, curious eager to learn, sometimes naughty and fun loving girl who still loves to count the sleeps before her birthday – only 357 to go.
You don’t stop laughing because you grow older. You grow older because you stop laughing. – Maurice Chevalier
Now after all this reflection, contemplation and excessive amounts of birthday cake I feel the need for rest. After all, I am another year older.
For all those having a birthday this year (that would be you) a bodacious birthday enriched with bliss and blessings.
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